


Alternate Does Not Mean Unconnected

by sixth_dr_whomst



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (1963), Doctor Who (Big Finish Audio)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Percy Jackson Fusion, Gen, Nonbinary Character, Nonbinary Doctor (Doctor Who)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-15
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2019-05-23 17:40:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14938872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sixth_dr_whomst/pseuds/sixth_dr_whomst
Summary: (A Multidoctor Percy Jackson AU) Two demigods have gone missing. Whoever took them picked the wrong people.





	1. Introductions and New Beginnings

Her bags are heavy in her hands. She’s not used to this. She’s not used to being separated from her family like this. She’s not going to get homesick, though. She won’t let herself. Besides, this is supposed to be for her own good. A way for her to stay safe, to stay protected, to protect those she cares about.

Still. She’s twelve. And she’s only been to America on holiday. She’s not used to this.

Neil glances down at her. “Are you going to be okay?”

“Yes, of course.” She looks up at him, and grins reassuringly. “Just apprehensive, I suppose.”

He shakes his head a little, and walks towards the tree. “Sometimes, I wonder if you’re really just twelve years old or if you’re secretly loads older.”

She laughs. “As far as I know, I’m just twelve.”

“Well, even if you’re lying to me, I have a feeling you wouldn’t be the first.”

“Oh? How do you mean?”

“Uh…” Neil shrugs. “I think you’re going to meet them.”

At that moment, a flop of long curly brown hair enters her vision. “Hello.” Comes a sudden voice, and she jolts back, startled.

“Hey there, Echo.”

“Hello again, Neil. Are you the new demigod?”

Only now Mel notices the long, androgynous face vaguely hidden by the tree branches and hair. The person smiles warmly, and holds out a hand. “I’m Echo. I use they/them pronouns.”

Mel shifts her bag from one hand to the other, and shakes their hand with another grin. “Melanie, or Mel for short. She/her.”

Echo shifts a little more, and falls out of the tree. They grin anyways, dusting themself off, and stand up. “May I walk back with you?”

“No one’s stopping you.” Neil comments, and grins.

Echo's smile widens, and they pick up a book that Mel didn't notice had fallen. They start off down the hill, and Neil motions for her to go forward. "Trust me. It's a cool view."

She raises an eyebrow, but steps past the tree anyways.

What's beyond it is most certainly not the farm she thought it was.

There's a large field of crops, yes, but most of the camp is taken up by other activities. There's a huge, shaking rock wall that catches her eyes, but also a volleyball court down the hill, a large set of cabins in the shape of the omega symbol, a large amphitheater, and a huge old light blue farm house. People are milling about, mostly all leaving a series of large park benches, with a few staying put.

" _Woah_."

Neil laughs.

* * *

 

It doesn't take long for her to reach the mess hall, and Echo immediately takes off to sit with another group of people. Neil taps her shoulder, and says, "Come this way, Chiron needs to meet you."

She follows him to a centaur, who's dressed like one of her teachers back home. He smiles at the two of them, and says, "You must be Melanie Bush." She nods, and holds out her hand. He shakes it. "I am Chiron. Neil has been telling me about you for a while."

"He has? Why?"

"It's been known for a while that there was another half-blood at our school." Neil explains. "Chiron asked me to keep tabs on the situation and make sure they - you - weren't in danger."

Chiron smiles, and Neil motions for Mel to take a seat at one of the tables. "You should be claimed pretty soon. One of our campers a few years back made the gods vow to claim their children before they turn 13, so it's gonna be any minute now, now that you're back in camp."

"Claimed?"

As soon as the words leave her mouth, something changes. Something is over her head, she can feel it. She glances up, and gets just enough of a glimpse of the object to register it as a silver owl. The few people still at the mess hall glance up, and then circle around her. Chiron nods, and calls out, "Hail, Melanie Bush. Daughter of the Goddess of Wisdom."

It's a bit of an awkward moment. People are ready to leave, ready to do something, not to kneel in a circle for someone they haven't even met yet. She shuffles in her spot, and looks back down.

The moment breaks. The light fades. Everyone - including Chiron - rises and continues on their ways. It's empty again. She breathes out.

“I should’ve known you were a child of Athena. The big words, the speech pattern of a 30 year old, perfect recall - or eidetic memory.” Neil sticks his tongue out at her teasingly. “All the clues were right there.”

Mel laughs, and looks around. “Perhaps you should have.”

“I think all the Athena kids are busy with the canoe races, I’m pretty sure they started a bet…” He looks around as well, and then stops, looking back down at Mel. “Normally, once you get claimed, someone from your cabin guides you around, shows you where you’re sleeping at all that. But she’s all the way in the middle of the lake right now. HEY, DARCY!”

A curly mop of blonde hair shoots up, looking around for a few seconds, before turning entirely to face Neil and Mel. The owner of said hair walks over to the two, and grins. “Yes?”

“Would you be willing to show Mel around? Cause the whole Athena cabin’s-”

“Challenging each other, yes. Of course.” Darcy turns and extends a hand to Mel. “Darcy Marlowe. They/them pronouns.”

“Melanie Bush, but my friends call me Mel. She/her.”

They shake her hand, and Neil nods. “I’m gonna go. Don’t let her get hurt, yeah?”

“I would _never_.”

“Not on purpose, you wouldn’t.” Neil mumbles teasingly, and then walks away.

Darcy scoffs to themself a little. “He’s been salty ever since I was _accidentally_ involved in breaking his femur. It wasn’t my fault, really.”

Mel laughs a little. Darcy gives her a slightly surprised look, as if they weren’t expecting someone to find them funny, and then grins as well. “Well, come along. The advantage of coming back now is that you can claim your bunk in peace.”

They start walking down the path towards the large cabins. Mel glances to the side and spots the lake, where she can see a large group of canoes about halfway out in the lake, and their cheers are barely audible. “So who are you a child of? Which cabin are you in?” She asks, turning back to look at Darcy.

“Cabin 10. Aphrodite.”

She snorts. Darcy turns to look at her, eyes narrowed. “Sorry. You just didn’t strike me as the type, for some reason.”

“The _type_?” They repeat, and shake their head. “While I am not as outwardly stereotypical as some of my other siblings, I assure you, I am just as much the progeny of the _oldest goddess on Olympus_ as the others.”

Mel nods, and stays quiet. They suddenly stop in front of a gray cabin with an owl motif carved over the doorway, and she looks up. “The Athena cabin, I’ll assume-”

“GET DOWN!”

Darcy hits the floor next to her, and their hand reaches for hers, but they apparently aren’t quick enough because-

 

She sits up, startled. “What?”

There’s the sound of two people arguing loudly, one of whom she recognizes as Darcy. “She’s _new_ , and you just thought it would be a good idea to start practicing-”

“I didn’t expect it to go so far, you asshole-”

“-and _aiming_ directly at the cabins-”

“I wasn’t aiming for the cabins-"

"Oh never mind," Interjects a third voice, "we’ll sort this out later. Melanie? Are you alright?”

“Of course she isn’t, Alary, Basil cursed her-”

“I WASN’T PRACTICING CURSES AT CAMP, DARCY-”

“I’m alright.” Mel interrupts, and all demigods go silent. “What happened? _Without_ arguing, please.”

The individuals glance at each other again, and then back at Mel. “I was using this free time to let's say, _improve_ , on some of my abilities, and I may have accidentally...aimed incorrectly.” The youngest one, Basil, said, wringing their fingers together. They give a slight awkward grin, and the shortest reaches out to pull her to her feet. “I’m Basil. They/them pronouns. That one-" They thumb at the one helping her up- "is Alary, also they/them.”

“Mel, she/her. What were you practicing?”

Their grin disappears, replaced by a sheepish frown. “Well...Darcy made me want to do it, so really-”

“OH COME ON.” Darcy snaps. “It is not _my fault_ that your cosmetic magic misfired and hit Mel-”

“SO YOU ADMIT IT WAS A MISFIRE-”

“Cosmetic magic?” Mel interrupts again. “As in, changing my appearance on accident?” The silence of the three demigods is enough of an answer. “What changed?”

“Just your hair color.” Basil and Darcy answer quickly in unison.

She ruffles up her hair, trying to glance at it (she’d pulled it back into a bun this morning, and was starting to regret it), and Darcy quickly pulls a mirror out of a pocket in their sweater. She takes it with a quick “thanks”, and glances at her reflection. Her hair has gone from a light strawberry blonde to full-on ginger. Oddly enough, it suits her better than her previous hair color. She shrugs, and passes the mirror back to Darcy. “No such thing as mistakes, right?”

“Only happy accidents.” Basil finishes, and she hopes they realize that was her way of saying “it’s alright”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me 06/13: hehe maybe ill write a pjo au oneshot  
> me 06/14: hey what if i did this and this and this and this an


	2. Settled and Unsettled

It didn't take long for her to get settled at Camp Half-Blood. Most other children of Athena were back with their families for the time being, which left the cabin head - a teenager named Annabeth - and a few others. One young woman, named Nyssa, was her bunkmate, sleeping underneath her bunk, and was a few years older than herself. She talked about her girlfriend a fair amount, but was also very interested in biotech. She also said there was another camper, Adric, that Mel would probably enjoy talking to, but he was spending time with his family.

The cabin itself was like heaven. With a huge library, multiple work desks, and several wall-mounted touchscreen boards, it was an ideal place for her to work on her own projects. As long as she took certain precautions and didn’t try and contact anyone, she could continue her interest in computer programming. There was a moderately sized armory out back from the cabin, but Mel didn't explore that often.

Basil, the young magician who had changed her hair color and instantly made her the most noticeable child of Athena, could frequently be spotted with a small polecat on their shoulder, along with the company of a short brunette. According to one of their older (half)siblings, Alary, the polecat was named Oswin and the brunette Clara. No one really knew how Basil had met either of them, but they had and were now very attached. Basil says Oswin lives in the forest, but Alary couldn't give a better answer.

Alary themself was a much more mysterious figure. They tended to hang out further away from the rest of the campers, either practicing magic or playing chess. They had their own unique way of dressing, which mostly seemed to consist of question marks and scarves. They also tended to carry around an umbrella, which was unnecessary considering the charms around the campgrounds, but the umbrella also seemed to disappear at Alary's will, which led to a lot of questions regarding its actual existence. Some of the more experienced campers told her that Alary was very skilled in manipulating the Mist, the force that stops mortals from seeing the gods and such, and that no one would be surprised if their umbrella was made of Mist.

Alary and Darcy were apparently close friends, despite being seemingly hostile to each other. Alary could often be seen playing chess alongside Darcy or being reminded to take a break and rest by them, and Darcy often went to them for book recommendations. They also had a teasing nature between them, with Darcy often being called out for acting very cat-like and Alary for never explaining anything and maintaining such a mysterious shroud.

Mel and Darcy had become friends over her short period of time at camp. They'd initially bonded over their mutual interest in technology and adapting it to be useful for demigods, and despite (or perhaps because of) their vaguely questionable taste in clothes, they shared her interest in the 80s. They'd taken care of her while she was settling in, making sure that she got on well with members of her cabin and hadn't gotten too much of a beating from the Ares cabin members during Capture the Flag. Some of the other campers said they tended to be like that, mothering new campers and slowly befriending them. Nyssa said they picked it up from Evelyn, one of the other Athena campers, but Alary said they were always like that.

Echo also became a fast friend of hers, mostly due to their hanging around her to make her feel more settled. They were a child of Hebe, goddess of youth, and certainly acted like it. They seemed to be good friends with most people at camp, and if they weren't their friend, they were considered "their annoyance". Most of the Ares cabin didn't like them.

* * *

 

“Are you alright?” She asks Darcy at dinner one evening, a few weeks after her arrival at camp.

“Yes, yes.” They answer distractedly, watching Half-Blood Hill intently. Then they blink, and turn to look at Mel. “No, actually. One of my friends was supposed to return to camp this morning, and I’m concerned about her being missing. She’s a daughter of Demeter, and apparently none of her siblings have seen her or heard anything about her coming in late.”

“Have you talked to Chiron?” She asks.

“Yes, and he said to wait to worry until tomorrow. There was a chance their flight would be delayed, but she said she’d contact me somehow if something went wrong, if they got delayed…”

They stare back at the hill, hands folded under their chin, lost in their anxiety. The horn sounds, and Mel pats their shoulder. “She’ll probably be back tomorrow. It’s going to be okay."

They stand up, and move towards their gear for Capture the Flag. "I certainly hope so."

 

The next morning rolls around. Mel doesn't even find Darcy sitting at the Aphrodite table. They're already on their feet, talking to Chiron. He frowns, and starts to walk away. Darcy follows him quickly, a dark expression on their face.

Mel frowns, concerned, and taps Alary on the shoulder. They look up, setting their spoon down. "Where's Darcy going?" She asks quickly, crouching to be closer to eye level with them.

"To the Big House. I assume they're going to speak to the Oracle."

"The Oracle?"

"Yes, the Oracle." Basil interrupts, and Alary glares at them. "Darcy must be going on a quest."

"Before going on a quest, one has to get a prophesy from the Oracle to guide them, in a sense." Alary explains, tapping their umbrella handle against their chin. "She lives in the attic of the Big House. They must be planning to find Peri."

"Is Peri their friend? The one that were supposed to return yesterday morning?

"Yes. She and Ace were supposed to get back..."

Alary trails off, resting their chin on their umbrella. Mel assumes she won't learn anything else from them, and returns to her own table.

Darcy and Alary both seem very concerned. It also seems like a very odd coincidence that both of their friends went missing at the same time. She makes a note to ask them about that later, when they're less distracted. In any case, Alary doesn't touch the rest of their meal, not even breaking their concentration for a moment. Their cabin starts to leave around them, going off to do whatever they do on a Saturday morning. Basil passes them, and quietly pats their shoulder, then walks back to their cabin.

Darcy eventually returns to the mess hall, opting to sit next to Alary. The two have a quiet conference, Chiron hovering nearby but just far enough to respect their privacy. After a few minutes, they look up and turn around, glancing at Mel. Alary says something quietly, but then the two stand up and walk over to the Athena table. Mel watches them, letting them take a seat across from her.

"We need you to join our quest." Darcy says immediately, leaning towards her.

"What's it for?"

"Two of our friends, Peri Brown and Ace McShane, have gone missing. They said they would get in contact if they missed their flight, but no one's heard a word from them."

"We need a third member of a party. Three is the traditional and best number for a quest party." Alary adds. "We think you are the best choice."

Mel folds her arms. "As flattered as I am - don't you think one of the older campers would be a better choice? Someone who's more experienced than me."

"You have the most experience with technology among the people that actually _like_ us." Alary says.

"Ah."

That doesn't instill a lot of confidence in her. But they're here, asking her for help, and if she's really their best choice -

"Alright. I'll do it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes yes yes, mostly exposition, but fun to write! I promise more plot will occur later. Also, check out the overall notes for a complete list of characters!


	3. Leaving

They look startled. "Really?" Darcy asks, voice cracking slightly.

"Yes." Mel says, raising an eyebrow. Were they really not expecting her to agree?

"We weren't expecting you to agree."

 _Hmm._ "Well, I have. So what are we doing first?"

"There's a person who apparently is very good at tracking demigods. Some of her siblings said that she was very sensitive to the existence and nature of non-mortals." Alary answers. "I got her last known address from one of her other cabin members. She's right by-"

"Where Peri and Ace were!" Darcy finishes, having read the address over Alary's shoulder.

"Out of curiosity, where were they?" Mel asks, leaning forward.

"Hot Springs National Park." Darcy answers. "It's in Arkansas. Would the Athena cabin have a US map they wouldn't mind us using?"

She nods. "Let's go grab it."

They all stand, and start over there.

"So this demigod. What's her name?" Mel asks.

"Leela. Leela Arberson. She was a child of Ares. Well known, too. Her cabin talks about her a lot." Alary replies, and stops in front of the cabin door.

Mel opens it quickly. She starts to go through the chest in the back, her arms reaching towards the bottom. "They've layered the US maps, so that everyone knows where they are." She fishes one out, and holds it up happily. "Got it."

Darcy grins, and they start back towards the mess hall. Chiron stops them, not far out from the cabins, and says in a quieter tone, "You may find it easier to plan in the Big House. It's at least quieter, and more secretive."

Darcy nods their thanks, and makes a 180-degree turn. Alary and Mel skip after them, trying to catch up with their (admittedly much longer) legs. They open the doors quickly, moving into one of the back rooms with the intensity of a storm. They slam the map onto the table, and grab a Sharpie out of a container on the wall. They circle Hot Springs, Arkansas, and Long Island, New York in two different colors, neon green and black. "Last we've heard, Leela lives here." Darcy says, tapping the Hot Springs circle with the marker. "This is also where Peri and Ace were on vacation. If we can contact Leela, and get her to help, then we should be able to track them quickly and get them back."

"I don't mean to play Devil's Advocate," Mel starts, leaning back slightly, "but what if they come back while we're gone? What if their flight just got delayed and they couldn't reach you, but they're really alright?"

Darcy and Alary shake their heads. "No, the prophesy says they won't." Darcy says, going back to staring at the map.

"What does the prophesy say, exactly?"

Darcy pauses, apparently confused, and then pulls a scrap of paper out of their pocket. "Here." They say, handing it to her.

She scans it over. It appears to be several lines of notes.

 _\- "the warrior tracker" - ares daughter?? the famous one_  
_\- captured is straightforward_  
_\- mentions the two by name_  
_\- also references more than them - more people have gone missing?_  
_\- "being of the void" - creature of the underworld?_  
_\- "alternate yet connected" - ???_

She raises an eyebrow, but sets the paper down again. "I'm so glad to know we have such a solid grasp on what we're doing here."

Darcy chuckles slightly. "Yes, it is a little vague, _but_..." Their voice trails off slightly as they return to focusing on the map. "...that's normal for prophesies, I hear."

"Hooray."

Alary smiles, and gives a soft "aha!" as they tap the map. "We can take bus routes all the way there."

"How do you know that?" Darcy asks softly, staring at them with wide green _(green? she thought they were blue a few days ago)_ eyes.

Mel leans over, and scans the map. Alary guesses what she's doing, or maybe reads her mind, she wouldn't put it past them, and traces the route they're thinking of. She retraces it a few times, thinking back to the things she'd read, and nods. "You're right. Hang on, let me write it down here."

"How do you know this too?" Darcy asks, hair bouncing dramatically (and also a little goofily.)

She shrugs, as she starts to write down the route. "I memorized bus routes before I came here."

"Why did you memorize them all over the US, though?"

She shrugs. "I was also incredibly bored? And my mother wanted me to. Just in case."

"In case you were sent on a quest that required you to have knowledge of every bus route in the country?" Alary grins, a gentle teasing tone in their voice.

"No, in case I had to go on a quest to save two of my friend's friends." She grins back, and looks back down at the paper.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she can see them both stiffen slightly, and then relax. _It's as if they've never heard the word friend before._ She looks up again, and barely catches a glimpse of Darcy's eyes before they turn back to the map. They clear their throat, and then straighten. "I'm- going to find some bags and start to collect rations. Will you also bring the map when you're done?"

Before Mel or Alary can respond, they're out the door, practically sprinting back to their cabin. Mel looks at Alary, confused, and they shake their head. "They aren't used to being called a friend."

* * *

She stands at the top of the hill, holding a pack in one hand and her spear in the other. Alary stands at her left, quietly tapping their umbrella against their chin, bag resting against their leg. Basil's polecat chitters on their shoulder, and they absently pet it. Darcy stands up on her right, fastening the top of their bag. "Food for four days, money for transport and other food, clothes, small amount of ambrosia and nectar, and weapons. Am I forgetting anything?"

Mel checks over her mental list she'd made earlier. "First aid kit?"

"Ambrosia, nectar." They repeat.

"It still might be best to bring one, just in case."

"I have one." Alary says, making Mel and Darcy jump. "Echo wouldn't let me leave without it. Caught me on the way back to my cabin."

Darcy smiles to themself. "Sounds like them."

"What are you waiting for?" Echo asks, appearing out of nowhere.

Darcy jumps again, and almost falls over. Echo just watches, a little spookily, and Darcy frowns. "We're waiting for a ride down to the train. There's only one demigod who's around currently to give us a ride from Long Island, and that's Remington."

As if on cue, an antique yellow car pulls up in front of them. A tall, dark-haired person sits at the drivers seat, and smiles at them. "Good morning. You're the ones heading to Midtown, yes?"

"Yes. I'm Alary, this is Darcy, and Mel. They, they, and she."

They point to each person while introducing them. The stranger nods, and holds out a hand. "Remington Steele Wisner, they/them."

Darcy snorts. "Remington Steele?"

Remington narrows their eyes. "Yes, what about it?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing. I'm certainly not calling you out for naming yourself after a fictional character." Darcy shrugs innocently, eyes narrowing like a cat's. "That would be rude."

"Of course not." Remington also narrows their eyes. "I'm sure you wouldn't be rude, Darcy, was it?"

Darcy fumes slightly, apparently having not thought of that before snarking at Remington. Remington smiles satisfiedly, and motions for them to get in. Echo puts a hand on Alary's arm, and they turn. Echo gives them a soft smile, and says quietly, "Stay safe, will you?"

Alary nods. "Of course. We all will."

Echo's smile turns a little bittersweet, and they squeeze Alary's arm. Then they turn, and walk back down to camp. Alary nods, and grabs their bag again. They hop into the front seat, next to Remington, and places their bag between their feet. Mel and Darcy both also hop in the backseat, holding onto their bags, and Remington starts off again.

The car stays silent for several minutes, until Remington speaks up. "If it's not too personal, may I ask what the point of your quest is? What you're trying to do."

Alary looks back and locks eyes with Darcy. Said blonde shrugs, and Alary turns back. "Two of our friends have gone missing. We suspect foul, supernatural play."

Remington nods. "Do you know where or what you're searching for?"

"They were at Hot Springs National Park, last we heard. There's a famous demigod tracker there, we were hoping to enlist her help."

"Ah, yes, Leela...Arberson, right?"

Alary nods. Mel stifles a soft yawn, and Darcy glances over at her. "You might be able to fall asleep on the bus." They say quietly.

She shrugs. "No, I'll be alright. Just need a little bit longer to wake up, you know?"

They nod. Remington checks them quickly in the rearview mirror, but seems satisfied and returns to watching the road. The rest of the drive goes by without speech, silent except for the gentle noises of cars and people just waking up to the sun. Alary starts to hum softly, and Mel recognizes it as _Here Comes The Sun_ by the Beatles. Something inside her calms down, something she didn't even realize was tense. Scared. Why would she be scared? Nothing's even happened yet, but she's afraid for her safety and the safety of her friends.

"Here comes the sun, and I say," Alary sings under their breath. "It's all right."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wheeee, the quest has begun! sort of!  
> yes, alary uses music as a form of magic (bard alary confirmed), and yes, echo just appears out of nowhere repeatedly. don't ask me about remington, its a long story.  
> (god take this au out of my hands before i wreck everyone else, someone take it away from me so i stop hurting darcy emotionally, hhhhhhh)


	4. An Object In Motion

She wakes up to someone shaking her arm gently and whispering, "Mel? Are you awake?"

She hums slightly, and opens her eyes. "What time is it?" She whispers back, noting the darkness outside.

"Almost 1 AM, local time." Alary replies, continuing to keep their voice soft. "Your watch should say 2."

She nods. "What is it, what's wrong?"

"I keep feeling like something is watching us, something on this bus. I think I'm getting more anxious with each cup of tea."

"Caffeine does raise anxiety." Mel recalls sleepily, and sits up. "Here, let me take watch. Get some rest."

"Thank you." They say quietly, and lean back. Mel notices their hands are shaking slightly, and they ball them into fists. Tilting their snapback over their eyes, they slump in the seat and fold their arms. Beside them, Darcy shifts in their seat, tilted closer to the window, but stays asleep.

She reaches into her bag to pull out the notes she'd written about their travel. Darcy had asked her why she'd written down their travel path if she had an eidetic memory, but she'd told them that it was more for the others' benefit than her own. That being said, it was easier for her to have somewhere to reread her thoughts and double-check them every once in a while. She hums to herself, tracing her finger down the line of times and transports.

 _(New York Time)_  
_3:00 AM, Pennsylvania Station, New York_  
_Take Northeast Regional train to Union Station_  
_3 hr 30 min_  
_6:30 AM, Union Station, New York_  
_Walk to Greyhound station_  
_About 1 min_  
_8:35 AM, Union Station, Washington DC_  
_Take the Greyhound bus to Richmond, Virginia_  
_2 hr 5 min_  
_10:40 AM, Richmond Bus Station, Virginia_  
_Show up, break_  
_12:05 PM, Richmond Bus Station, Virginia_  
_Take the Greyhound bus to Memphis, Tennessee_  
_19 hr 55 min_  
_7:00 AM, Memphis, Tennessee_  
_Arrive at bus station_  
_8:00 AM, Memphis, Tennessee_  
_Take the Greyhound bus to Little Rock, Arkansas_  
_2 hr 25 min_  
_10:25 AM, North Little Rock, Arkansas_  
_Walk to Maple and 2nd Streets, break_  
_About 4 min_  
_10:34 AM, North Little Rock, Arkansas_  
_Take the #10 bus to the River Cities Travel Center, stop ID 12252_  
_5 min_  
_10:39 AM, Little Rock, Arkansas_  
_Hire an Uber to get from Little Rock to Hot Springs_  
_about an hour_  
_11:40 AM, Hot Springs, Arkansas_  
_Uber or walk to Leela's address, 101 McClendon St_

She taps the current part repeatedly, and takes a deep breath. Alary getting anxious makes her anxious, and every bump on the road convinces her further that something is watching them, something is following her, something is sneaking up the rows, reaching for a sword-

She whips around, only to find empty air in the rows behind her.

Taking another deep breath, she turns back. Darcy's eyes are open now, a hazel color now, and they are watching her carefully. "Scared?" They ask, carefully preserving their cool expression.

She shakes her head, then pauses. "Maybe a little." She admits, and sighs. "Alary mentioned that they thought someone might be following us, and now I'm on edge. Partially because someone could be following us, but also, I'm not sure if I'd be much use in a fight. I'm the youngest here, and the smallest, and the least experienced."

"You do have a weapon." They remind her gently, blinking slowly.

"I've only ever used it during Capture the Flag. Not against real monsters, and certainly not against someone who really wants to kill me."

Darcy reaches out a hand and places it on top of hers, resting on the windowsill. "Mel, we trust you."

She goes quiet, and so do they. They lean back again, closing their eyes. "And besides, I don't think anyone is following us. Alary gets...paranoid about being hunted or followed or outwitted. I told them to wake me up if something happened, but _apparently_ , they didn't listen."

They give Alary a dry look, and Mel grins quietly. They close their eyes again, but there's a hint of a smile on their face. They're obviously pleased with the fact that they've made her laugh. It doesn't take them long to fall back asleep. Mel shifts, and looks back out the window. The stereotypical rolling fields of the American plains look different in the darkness of night. Less amber fields of grain and more vague shapes twisting in the wind that may or may not be grain. But the stars...

Out here, in the middle of nowhere, with no light pollution, there's more stars than she can count.

* * *

She stands in the aisle, looking out the doors. Alary checks back on her, and holds out a hand. "Are you alright?" They check, and she nods.

"Just surprised. We're almost there, I thought it would take longer."

They nod, and comment, "I know the feeling."

Darcy shoulders their bag, and Mel jumps down from the bus. "So now where?" Darcy asks, looking around.

Alary reaches into their pocket and pulls out the paper with the itenary written on it, but Mel beats them to it. "We're finding an Uber or something to get us to Hot Springs."

All three glance around helplessly, and then Alary speaks up. "I think I see a taxi over there."

They start walking, and Darcy and Mel move after them quickly. They knock on the door, and the driver looks up. "Hello. Can you drive us down to Hot Springs?"

The guy gives them a strange look, but shrugs. "If you can pay, sure. My break just ended. It should be, maybe, $120?"

Darcy's eyes widen, but Alary nods. "We can pay. Shall we?"

The driver puts a bookmark in his book, and the demigods clamber into the back seat together. The ride over is filled with quiet, polite chatting, mostly about book writing and what makes a good plot. Their driver, a youngish man named Steven, apparently wanted to be a writer when he was younger, and had returned to the dream again. Alary had a surprisingly vast amount of knowledge on the subject. _Perhaps I shouldn't be as surprised with anything regarding Alary at this point._ They glance over at her, and give a small knowing smile.

As they pull up into the city, Steven asks, "Anywhere specific you need to go?"

"Ah, yes, in fact." Alary responds, reaching into their pocket again and pulling out another scrap of paper. "101 McClendon Street."

Steven nods, and a few minutes later, they're there. Alary pulls several bills out of their wallet, and hands them to Steven. He seems both amused and bemused at the fact that a teenager has 120 dollars on their person, but takes it anyway and waves as he drives off. Mel grins at the two of them, and starts up the pathway to the door. She's the one who knocks on the door, and she bounces on the balls of her feet. The door opens.

"Hello, can I help you?"

She grins wider at the small blonde woman. "Hello, we're looking for Leela Arberson?"

"Ah, I'm sorry, I think you have the wrong address. I'm Jo, Jo Grant. She/her pronouns."

Jo extends a hand, and Mel shakes it. "I'm Mel, and this is Alary and Darcy. She/her, and they/them pronouns for the both of them."

Jo nods. "I think I've heard her name before. My girlfriend probably knows, would you like to come in?"

"That would be lovely, thank you." Darcy answers quickly, and Jo grins. She opens the door wider, and the three youngest step in.

Another woman, a slightly taller brunette, looks up. She looks at the three teenagers with mild surprise, but Jo smiles and asks "Do you remember a Leela Arberson at all?" and the woman recovers.

"Leela Arberson? I might. Sarah Jane Smith, she/her."

Alary tips their snapback to her. "I'm Alary, and this is Mel and Darcy. They, she, and they, respectively."

Sarah Jane smiles and walks into one of the other rooms in the house. "Sarah's a writer, for the local newspaper." Jo explains. "She keeps a lot of records, and she's very good at investigating people."

There's a proud smile on her face, the kind that says that she's really proud of her girlfriend and quite probably couldn't be prouder. Darcy smiles as well. Sarah returns, holding a piece of paper in her hands. "Leela Arberson. She was the previous owner here, that's why I knew the name. She didn't tell anyone her new address, I'm sorry. I assume you're trying to find her for a quest?"

The three stiffen. Jo smiles warmly, as does Sarah. "It's alright, you're alright." Jo says quickly. "I'm a daughter of Hermes myself. And Sarah can see through the mist anyways."

She relaxes, and Darcy and Alary relax a little as well. "Yes, we're trying to find her for a quest." Mel answers, and Darcy gives her a small glare. "We were hoping she could help us find some missing demigods."

Sarah nods. "I can ask around in my contacts, see if anyone's heard from her lately."

"Thank you." Alary nods. "We'll be around."

"Where were your friends last seen?" Jo asks, grabbing a pen off the table.

"Hot Springs National Park was the last place we heard from them." Darcy answers, and Jo jots it down. "We won't impose on you anymore, thank you for your help."

They start out the door, and Mel and Alary nod their thanks. They close the door behind them, leaving the two women to whatever else they had planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for posting later today! i kept telling myself to remember, but i didnt,,, oh well!! its out!! enjoy!


	5. Until Acted Upon By Outside Forces

They stand in the diner, shuffling from foot to foot. They are all keenly aware that they look out of place and odd and thoroughly beaten up, but they need food and they hope they don’t get kicked out. The waitress eyes them a little oddly, but Darcy steps forward and acts as if nothing’s odd. “We’d like a table for three, please.”

She nods, and grabs a set of menus. “Would you prefer a table or a booth?”

Darcy glances back at the others for input, and at the two shrugs, says, “Booth.”

She seats them by a window, letting them look out into the glorious view of the parking lot. Mel leans her head against the window, and lets out a sigh. “Are you alright?” Darcy asks immediately, leaning forward in their seat to look her in the eyes.

She lifts her head just long enough to nod, and then replaces it. They have a worried expression, and start to rifle through their pack to find the nectar. She waves them off quietly, placing a hand on top of theirs. “It’s fine. I’m just tired.”

They stop moving, and sigh. “That’s understandable.”

The door opens again, and a rush of air enters the room. There’s a new feel here, something that wasn’t there before. Darcy looks up from their bag, and Alary tenses. Mel turns, and gives a stifled breath. There’s something about this stranger, something that screams chaos and danger. But not just the feeling of chaos, or even the feeling of searching for it, there was something else. They didn’t just walk like they looked for the mess of the world; they _were_ it.

“It can’t be.” Darcy says softly, lips twitching as if wanting to smile.

“Yes it can.” Alary returns, frowning. “ _Seth_.”

“Seth?” Mel repeats, a little incredulous. This person, this harbinger of chaos, and they’re called Seth?

“Yes?”

Seth turns their head, and smiles at them. The waitress attempts to attract their attention, but they just say “I’m with the collection of teenagers” and continue on. Behind them, the people in the line seem just as mortified at Seth’s antics as the waitress. Seth slides into the seat next to Darcy, who seems both impressed at their mere presence and frustrated that they invaded their personal space. “On a quest, are you?” They ask immediately, without concern for volume or the people staring at them.

Mel flinches slightly, and Darcy hisses, “Can you _not_? It would be rather important to make sure that mortals stay unaware-”

“Oh please, we both know your friend is very skilled with the Mist. And besides, there’s barely anyone around. The staff has had a small accident today, there's not many of them on today, and the ones who are know enough to not ask."

As Seth leans back, getting more comfortable, Mel looks around. The diner still looks very full to her, and she opens her mouth to comment on it. Seth raises a finger to their lips, and-

The fire alarm goes off.

She glances back into the kitchen to see a fire, with several chefs trying frantically to put it out. Other members of the staff are on their way out, and two people are working on keeping everyone calm as they exit.

Seth has an eerie, nightmarish grin on their face. "Did I say has? I meant will."

Alary stands up quickly and motions for the others to join them. Mel moves as quickly as she can out of the booth, and Darcy pushes Seth out as well so they can leave. Seth looks mildly offended, but Darcy and Alary both grab Mel's hands and practically drag her out of there. As they stand outside, waiting for the fire trucks to arrive, Seth smiles at them. "I heard you were searching for Leela Arberson."

"Do you know where she is now?" Mel asks immediately, ignoring the warning arm Alary puts out in front of her.

"Yes, yes, of course I do, we were friends." Seth says, waving their hands impatiently.

"Can you give us her address?"

They smile. "Of course."

Alary steps in front, stopping Seth from saying anything else. "How did you know who we were?" They ask, one hand resting on their umbrella.

Seth holds up their hands again. "No need to be hostile, another friend of mine said that you were looking for her. Sarah Jane Smith, I believe you know her?"

"You're her contact?" Darcy repeats, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, one of them. Would you still like the address or would you prefer to continue to question everything I say or do?"

Alary frowns deeply, but Mel shakes her head. "Just the address would be nice."

Seth smiles again, and turns their hands so their palms face up. In their right sits a strip of paper. Mel takes it quietly, and reads it over. Alary and Darcy read it over her shoulder. "She lives in Little Rock?" She asks.

She looks up, and blinks. Seth has disappeared, as if they weren't really there at all. She looks at Alary, who shakes their head. "No one knows how they do it. They just do."

"Just doing it" seems to be a common theme among Mel's acquaintances.

* * *

The taxi lets them out on the edge of the city, away from most everything in the city. Alary pays the driver again, another $120 which had mysteriously appeared in their wallet, and slides out. Mel slides out after them, and Darcy opens the other door. "Before we meet them," Mel starts, "We still haven't gotten lunch, and it's about 1:30. Er, 12:30, I guess, because of time zones. But in any case, we need to stop somewhere for food."

Darcy nods. They look around, and then approach a person on the street. "Hello, we're tourists. Do you have a favorite restaurant around here?"

She nods, and gives them directions to a pizza place down by the river. It only takes them maybe 20 minutes to drive over (having caught another taxi), and they walk into the parlour. They order a pizza quickly, and take a seat. The service is really fast, and it doesn't take them long to finish it off. Alary pulls their wallet out, and looks at it. They tap their umbrella (which has magically appeared again) against their chin. "We should try and hurry up, before we run out of money."

"Trust me, we're doing our best." Darcy snaps. Then they take a deep breath, and rub their cat pin. "The sooner we find Leela, the sooner we find them. So shall we go?"

They stand, and pick up their bag again. Alary glares at them, but stands anyways. They walk for a ways, maybe an hour, and sit down in a park. They spread out their things and start to plot again. Mel locates where Leela's new address should be, and Alary starts to reorganize their bag to make it "more efficient." Darcy points out a waterpark, and says, "If we go there, we can get back in touch with camp and update them."

Alary nods, and Mel stands. They walk back to the waterpark, which is also located by the river, and Darcy pulls a golden coin out of their pocket. They mumble something under their breath, and tosses the coin into a spray of water. "Show me...show me Evelyn Smythe, at Camp Half-Blood."

A woman comes on screen, perhaps a little older than Darcy, with gray eyes and a book in her hands. She's sitting on a bunk, reading, and looks up. "Darcy." She says with mild surprise, and smiles. "It's good to see you."

"Hello, Evelyn. I'm sorry, I don't have time to ask about your trip at the moment, although I assume you enjoyed yourself."

"I did, thank you very much." She retorts, a dry smile on her face.

"We're on our quest. Would you let the Ares cabin know that Leela Arberson's address has changed, and that we'll give it to them when we get back? We're safe, none of us are hurt. It's been very quiet so far."

"Too quiet." Alary interjects, a deep frown on their face.

Evelyn looks at them. "Alary, a lack of monster attacks is not always a sign that something more ominous is occurring." She then seems to spot Mel, and grins. "Are you the new demigod? Mel, isn't it?"

She grins as well, and nods. "I've heard a bit about you, mostly from Darcy."

"Oh no." She comments dryly, and Mel laughs.

Darcy gives a sarcastic laugh as well.

And then there's a scream.

All three of them go running out, Alary gripping their umbrella tighter, Darcy slashing a hand through the water phone (iWater?) and reaching for their backpack. By the river are three large demonic-looking dogs, which have apparently been spotted by one mortal. There's already several people by them, apparently struggling to get away from the pack. All three go rushing in, uncoordinated and unprepared.

Mel slams into the dog at front, attempting to knock it off its balance. It's barely phased, and she pulls out her spear from her bag. She swings it around, slamming it into the dog's side. The dog howls, and swipes at her violently. She dodges it as best she can, but it still catches one of its claws on her shirt, tearing a small hole into it. Her momentum continues, and she rolls, getting back on her feet quickly and charging it again. Someone yells at her, but she can't hear them at all, the dogs howling's so loud-

Someone slams into her, and she slides down the river bank and into the river itself. She flounders underwater for several moments, before surfacing frantically, looking around for what hit her. It seems to have been Alary, who has also surfaced, still gripping their sword tightly. One of the demon dogs runs in after them, only to stop, and collapse into dust. From above the bank, Darcy yells something as well, and notches another arrow. One of the strangers yells at them, and Darcy turns around just in time to get body slammed by another dog. They roll down the bank, also landing in the water. Mel and Alary swim to them, pulling them back to the bank, and scramble back up.

The strangers, Mel only now realizes, also have weapons. And they aren't struggling to get away, they're actually beating the dogs back. Now she feels stupid. One person, a brunette with shoulder-length hair, manages to get on top of one of the remaining dogs, and slams something into its back. It disintegrates, and they land on their feet, rolling forwards. The other two, both with short hair, tagteam the other dog, one acting as a distraction and the other stabbing it with a long thin sword.

The strangers group back together, the brunette dusting themself off. The shortest among them walks over, and looks down at them. "What were you thinking?" They yell, placing their hands on their hips.

"We were thinking you were a collection of mortals who were engaged in combat with several large, supernatural dogs!" Darcy yells back. "Evidently, we were wrong!"

"Yes, so you were!"

"I don't suppose you know of a Leela Arberson?" Alary tries, looking up.

Their eyes widen. The brunette walks closer to them. "Who's asking?" They call down.

"We're trying to find her, we need her help!"

The brunette slides down to meet them and holds out a hand. "You've found her."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yay, we're getting closer to the end! how amazing! and LEELA! YEET


	6. Pasta Brings You Together

Mel shimmies out of her wet clothes awkwardly, tossing them on the floor in front of her. Quickly, she pulls on the dry spares that she's borrowing from Romana. They're rather big for her, but they're dry, and that's good. She bundles up the wet clothes again and carries them outside. Alary and Darcy both drip awkwardly onto the hardwood. Brax looks up from inside the laundry room, and kicks a basket her way. "You can put your wet clothes in there. We'll put them through the dryer when you've all changed."

"Thank you." She says, awkwardly dumping her clothes into the basket.

Behind her, Alary steps into the room, and quickly closes the door. Darcy pulls at their shirt, and frowns. "Good thing at least your clothes stayed dry." Mel offers with a small smile, cocking her head a little.

"Mostly dry." They frown distractedly.

Apparently, despite having dried off their bow extensively, it did not dry off the supplies stored within the Mist's disguise for it. They'd grouched about that for a while, holding their rainbow backpack and trying to keep everything inside from being soaked. The rations and their wallet were damp, but their clothes were still generally wet. Braxiatel slips past them quietly, returning to the kitchen. There's the gentle clinking noise of a meal being cooked. The smell starts to reach Mel's nose, and her mouth waters.

Alary exits again, dressed in one of Darcy's oversized shirts (which is _huge_ on the short teenager), and also dumps their wet clothes in the laundry basket. Darcy enters the room last, closing the door with their heel, and Alary leans against the wall. They begin to play with the handle of their umbrella, which they have conjured up again, and Mel puts a hand on their shoulder.

"It's going to be alright." She says, hoping she sounds confident. "We're going to find Ace and Peri. And they're going to be safe."

Alary gives her a wistful smile. "I certainly hope you're right."

There's a thump on the other side of the wall, and a loud groan. "Are you alright?" Alary calls out quickly, tensing.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine. My- binder's stuck." Comes the response.

Alary winces. "Can you get out?"

"Yes, yes, yes."

There's silence for another few minutes, and then Darcy exits again, in a looser sweater than they typically wear. Mel realizes how absurd they must look, a young ginger in a "blonde with more PhDs than you" t-shirt and jeans, a short teenaged magic-user in a shirt that goes down to their lower thighs and sweatpants, and a tall blonde in a baggy sweater and space leggings. Yes, the exact look a rescue party should always have.

Darcy moves to put their clothes in the dryer, and hangs their soaking wet binder on the drying rack. There's footsteps behind her, and Braxiatel pokes his head around the corner again. "Dinner is ready." He says, and disappears again.

Darcy closes the dryer door, and starts it. They shove their hands in their pockets, and gives a small grin to the two of them. "Shall we?"

They walk down the hall and back towards the open rooms. Narvin is setting down a large bowl of pasta, mixed with what looks like tomatoes and spinach and other ingredients that Mel can't make out exactly yet. He spots them eyeing it, and says, "Pasta fresca."

They all quietly take seats at the table, and look around. They're tired, and antsy, and a little uncomfortable, and a little shy. No one knows what to do first. Romana must sense this, and she passes the pasta fresca directly to Mel. "It's traditional for guests to eat first, isn't it?"

Mel takes it with a quiet "thank you", and starts to dish some out for herself. As she passes it to her left, to Alary, Leela speaks up. "Why did you come here?"

"We...need your help." Darcy answers, setting their hands on the table. "Two of our friends went missing near Hot Springs National Park, and we heard you were still living there, so we wanted to ask for your assistance in finding them."

Leela nods. "I moved in with my partners last year. Perhaps we should have updated my siblings."

Braxiatel grins a little. "Yes, perhaps we should have."

Leela gives him a glare, but the tone of the room says that she doesn't mean it as threatening. "What are your friends' names?" Narvin asks, lacing his fingers together as he watches them.

"Peri Brown and Ace McShane." Alary answers, tapping fingers against their fork handle. "Peri is a daughter of Demeter, and Ace of Hephaestus."

Leela nods. "How recently were they there?"

"They were supposed to leave Friday."

She nods again. "Then we will leave tomorrow morning. Romana, we still have the spare room, correct?" Romana nods, and Leela turns back to the teenagers. "Stay here for the night. At dawn we will leave for Hot Springs, and find your friends."

"Why dawn?" Braxiatel asks, smirking.

"It is traditional." She replies, straightening her back slightly.

Romana pats her hand. "It's okay, you can just say you're extra."

Leela frowns, and Romana laughs. There's warmth here, which is very welcome with the week the three questers have had. This is nice.

Mel relaxes, and eats the pasta fresca.

* * *

She sits on the bed, and smiles up at Romana. "Really, thank you so much. We rather- invaded, and you've been very kind."

Romana nods. "Not many people find Leela anymore. She does her best to avoid it. I think she's helping you partly because she respects how much effort it must have took to find her."

Mel chooses to refrain from mentioned it was Seth who found her, really.

"Of course, she also respects that you're trying to find your friends. She'd always help people who are searching." Romana adds, and a small smile crosses her face. "She's so extra. She absolutely refuses to admit it, mind you, but it's cute." She seems to realize she's been rambling slightly, and straightens, no longer leaning on the doorway. "Sleep well. I imagine she means it when she says you're leaving at dawn."

As she ducks out of the room, Mel swears she can see a tinge of red on her cheeks. She messes around a little, double-checking her pack is packed, and the alarm on her watch is set. Before she lays back down, she spots Alary walking back down the hall. "Are you alright?" She asks quietly, walking back to the doorway. "You've seemed really on edge this entire time, especially after meeting Seth."

They smile thinly. "I'll be alright. My anxiety has been worse, since Ace disappeared. Which is, frankly, to be expected, but I'm not coping as well as I could."

Mel frowns. "I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do to help, or do we just need to keep moving quickly?"

They shrug. "The sooner we find the pair of them, the better."

"Do you always sing when you're anxious?" They raise an eyebrow. "You've been humming under your breath for most of this trip. It...calms you down, doesn't it?"

Their smiles grows a little. "It was mostly Ace's idea. We were playing Dungeons and Dragons, one evening, and I'd just created a new character, a bard. She joked that me as a bard was meant to be, and dared me to actually sing the things I'd sing in the campaign. When I did the first time, we realized it was actually...very effective. Our poor DM actually forgot what we were supposed to be doing. And I ran with it from there. I did it first to calm other people down, but it affects me too."

She nods, unsure of where to go from there. Alary senses it as well, and places a hand on her shoulder. "You should go to sleep soon."

"If I can." She jokes lightly, but she has a feeling that it won't take her long to pass out. "You should sleep too."

"I will, later. I'm opting to take a shower tonight, as opposed to tomorrow."

"That's fair." She shuffles slightly, and then asks, "Is it alright if I give you a hug?"

They look a little surprised, but nod. She wraps her arms around them, and they return it quietly. They stand, unmoving, just being and just comforting. Quiet footsteps come down the hall, and Darcy asks, "Is everything alright?"

"Yes." Alary answers, looking up. "Just bonding."

Mel laughs. She has the distinct feeling that Alary is smiling, as well as Darcy.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hhhhey! gallisquad and pasta, how delightful! only a few more chapters until the end, :__; hope yall have enjoyed this as much as i've enjoyed writing it! also, happy friday the thirteenth!!


	7. No Longer Lost

She sits at the table, yawning. Leela hands her a bowl, and sets milk on the table. "Eat quickly." She says quietly, and moves past, tossing a few other things into a bag. As Darcy wanders downstairs, she hands them something to hold. They make a confused noise, and she just nods. "This will work."

She walks back upstairs, apparently to grab something else, and Darcy looks at Mel with questioning eyes. She shrugs in response, and pours cereal into her bowl. Darcy sits next to her, placing the item next to them on the table, and grabs a bowl of their own. As they start to pour the milk in ( _heathen_ ), Alary walks downstairs, and nods to the two of them. They also take a seat, and grab a box. Leela returns, now carrying Narvin on her back. He groans softly, apparently not entirely awake yet, and she sets him down on the counter. "You're driving." She says, and hands him a bowl.

He grumbles softly, but hops off the counter and grabs another bowl. "And you couldn't have asked Braxiatel?"

"Meeting with Benny." Romana answers, walking downstairs in a professional suit, "And I still have work. You're the only one who can drive here." Leela opens her mouth to argue, but Romana raises an eyebrow, and she decides against it. "The only one we _trust_ to drive here."

Leela rolls her eyes, but grins a little anyways. Romana gives her a quick kiss, and walks over to where Narvin is standing. She kisses him too, and he smiles a little as well. "Good luck today." He says quietly, and she sighs.

"It's definitely needed. Stay safe, all of you."

"When are we not?" Leela retorts, stealing the milk from Narvin.

Romana just laughs, and then looks down at the questers. "I sincerely hope you find your friends."

Alary nods. "Thank you." They say softly.

She steps out the door, and Mel can hear a car being started. It doesn't take long for the five of them to eat, and they slide the dishes into the dishwasher. Leela looks around, and then back at Darcy. "Where is the flintstone?"

They blink, and then make a small "oh" noise. They grab the stone off the table, and hand it back to her. She puts it in her pack, and nods. "Keys?"

Narvin holds them up. "Shall we?"

Mel nods. The five walk into the garage, and Narvin unlocks the red pickup truck left inside. He climbs in the drivers seat, with Leela in the passengers, and the youngest squished into the backseat. He starts the car, and the radio turns on, some local jazz station. Alary gives a wan smile.

Leela leans over and switches to another station, classic rock this time. Narvin shakes his head quietly, but Leela just smiles at him with what seems like puppy dog eyes and leans back in her seat. She proceeds to skip around another few stations, before just sighing and turning it off. She reaches into the glove compartment and pulls out a CD. Narvin groans loudy, but Leela puts it in anyways. A guitar starts playing immediately, and she starts to sing along.

"Rush?" Mel laughs. "You have a CD of Rush hits?"

Leela nods, laughing as well. "Of course!"

"Of course she does." Narvin snorts, looking in the rearview mirror. "I can't name how many times I've heard _Tom Sawyer_ in a week. A week. Seven days. Far more replays of a _single song_."

"It's a good song, Narvin." She retorts, bopping her head against his shoulder. "And besides, I've seen you sing along too. There's nothing to be ashamed of, just admit it. You like it too."

He scoffs, but his eyes betray him.

* * *

 

Narvin taps his fingers on the steering wheel. Leela climbs back into the passenger seat, and nods. "Further west."

He nods, and starts driving further. Leela sticks her head out of the window, and grins to herself. Narvin glances over, and a small smile crosses his face. "Wait, stop!" She yells, and Narvin brakes, as quickly as he can without yeeting Leela through the door.

Darcy and Alary both sit up. She opens the door quickly and runs out, Alary chasing after her. Mel runs out after them, and she can hear Darcy open up their door as well. Narvin yells something after them, probably along the lines of "what?", but no one answers. Leela stands at the edge of the woods, looking into them. Alary stands close behind her, gripping their sword handle tightly. They look up at her face, then back out at the woods. "What is it?" They ask quietly but intensely, staring back at her eyes.

"They were here. Their trail...just ends. This is as far as I can go."

She seems startled, thrown off, almost _afraid_ at this. Narvin walks up behind her, and places a hand on her shoulder. She frowns deeper, and makes a spluttering noise. "This doesn't make sense. I always know where people are, this hasn't happened! They can't have just disappeared!"

Alary taps their chin. Darcy grips their bow a little tighter, then turns to Leela. "Thank you for helping us. You've been very kind, but I think whoever took them is making this personal. I assume anyone other than the questing team will be barred from entry."

"You think something can do that?" Mel asks, raising an eyebrow.

"At this point? I wouldn't question it."

She hums, _they have a point_ , and Leela looks down at them. "We will stay nearby. In case you require our help."

"Thank you." Alary says softly, and steps forward into the forest.

They disappear immediately. Darcy tenses further, and steps forward. The tip of Alary's umbrella reappears, and motions for them to step forward as well. Darcy looks back at Mel, who shrugs, and steps forward cautiously.

 

They aren't in the forest anymore. They're somewhere else, somewhere more industrial and damp. It's very dark, almost too dark to see anything in front of her. Each step Mel takes echoes, clanging throughout the metal walls. Darcy motions for her to walk quieter, nocking an arrow. She readies her spear, stepping forward again. Alary approaches from the side, nodding at the two of them. They reach into their pockets, and pull out a small flashlight, turning it on. The walls seem darker somehow, the light only casting shadows. Something says that shouldn't be a thing that happens, but it is now.

"The things you see...aren't quite as real as you think."

She jumps, and grips her spear tighter. The unknown speaker's voice echoes, now mixed with laughter. "The shadows can't hurt you...normally. But they might now. Who knows? I sure don't. How 'bout you, Ace? Peri? Thoughts?"

"PERI!" Darcy yells, looking around. "PERI, WHERE ARE YOU?"

"NORTH!" Comes the reply, "NORTH FROM YO-"

The voice is cut off by a muffled yell, and a slight crack. Another voice takes up the yelling, before also becoming muffled. There's a groan, and the original mysterious voice returns. "God, I should learn to not ask questions when I don't want people responding." They sigh. "Never mind. Your friend responded, I can only assume you're heading this way, you  _stalwart heroes, you_ , so I might as well just- hmm."  


They reappear next to a bonfire, casting dancing shadows around the metal room. A tall figure in a suit gives a threatening grin, holding their arms out in a grand gesture. "Welcome! How was your trip? Disorientating and confusing, I hope. It's what you deserve."

Peri and Ace both lay on the floor, Ace propping up Peri's head in her lap. Both have gags on, and Ace leans against a wall. Peri is unconscious. Darcy steps forward and yells, "What did you do to her!?"

The figure shrugs. "Nothing. Well, nothing that'll last. I'm glad you're here, frankly. I was afraid someone else would show up, like one of the twinks or the hedgehog hair one. I really wanted to talk to you two. The rainbow bear and the goblin nightmare man. Mel, you're like an unexpected gift you get on your birthday that you didn't really ask for but should have expected, like...like a new pair of socks. Maybe not bad, but not expected, even though you should have."

She flounders for words. She has no idea how to respond to being compared to her aunt's obsession with novelty socks. The figure starts moving again.

"No, but. Seriously. I'm glad I got to talk to you. You're the easiest place to see it, y'know. The quick bond with Mel, the quick bond with each other. The wild differences in character. The height difference, I mean." They scoff. "Come on. It should be obvious.

"You aren't real."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EYYYY we found them! now for the disaster! :D


	8. Perhaps Not Found

There's silence.

Until there's not.

"I'm sorry, _what_?"

Darcy has an indignant look in their eyes. "I would like to maintain that I am myself-"

The figure laughs out loud. "Oh, oh, of course. You are yourself. Now, sorry, which self is that? Is that the TV self? The audio drama self? The ones from the parallels, the alternates, the fanfics? Provost Tepesh or Jean Smith? You know, that line doesn't even come from the core you? Yeah, it's from a vague copy of the original source that doesn't even realize he's using their face. Just like you, actually, so I guess it's dramatic irony. Good job, OP."

Everyone's floundering now. They don't know what they're supposed to say. So Alary makes something up.

"Of course we knew, how couldn't we?" They take a step forward, fingers twitching. "You're right, it's just been too much of a coincidence. Our aunts just _happen_ to have dated when they were younger, and oh look, both of our children came out as nonbinary at the same time?"

"There, now you've got it!" The figure and Alary start to dance, shifting in circles, eyes darting towards any escape and any movement. "There's no such thing as coincidence. This entire thing was planned. Poorly, yes, and I use 'plan' loosely, but there was a plot for this world. You have lived 18, 19 years, but also have only existed for less than three months. You have so many little details in your life, but also have so little known about your life. You weren't born, you were written."

"Weren't we all." Alary jokes under their breath, now standing in front of Ace and Peri. The figure seems to notice, and moves again, forcing the dance to continue. "So why us, specifically?"

"Like I said, it's easier to see. Easier to see you're the same person."

Alary missteps. The figure laughs. "I know, it's odd. But I'm serious. You do know multiverse theory, right?"

"Yes, it's the theory that there are multiple universes that describe different things, different outcomes."

"Mmm-hmm. So you know that, if said theory is real, then everything is considered an alternate of another. As far as you're concerned, the universe in which Camp Half-Blood is a fictional location is the 'alternate' universe. However, to said universe, you are the alternate. So, in this other universe, the alternate to you, there is a being called the Doctor. A Time Lord, with the ability to change their face 12 times, for a total of 13 faces. You've met quite a few, frankly."

"That's bullsh-"

Alary shushes Darcy quickly, waving at them frantically. Alary's eyes are wide, and Mel starts to wonder if it's with fear or something else.

"How do you know?" Darcy asks, drawing attention back to them. "How would you know if we really were- the Doctor, unless you've met them?"

"Oh, I have. That's mostly why I recognized you two. The sixth and the seventh."

"Which is which?" Alary asks.

"Oh, you're seventh. Do you remember Remington Steele? Third. And Seth Gilmann is the fourth. Mel, have you ever wondered how Chiron got tipped off to your existence? There's a Doctor living in your area, the second one. They told him. Echo, the tiny curly-haired fool? Eighth. And Basil is twelfth."

"This can't be real." Mel says very softly.

The figure laughs. "Well, it can, and it is. So deal."

There's a clanging noise from up above, and a muffled yell. All the people in the room look up to see a figure hanging from a rope about 15 feet above them, dressed in a very familiar, long scarf. Said figure drops down, clenching a hand to the top of their fedora, and grins eerily. "Hello there. I hear you're saying I'm an alien?"

"It doesn't seem that implausible anymore." An unfamiliar voice grouches, stepping into the light. Said figure is dressed in a golden waistcoat and dark overcoat, with dark slacks and dress shoes. They hold a cane in one hand and grip their lapel in the other. "No human could possess those bug eyes."

Seth gives the stranger a mildly offended look. They are interrupted by a crash from a side door, and a short person with floppy hair and a bright Camp Half-Blood t-shirt stumbles in. They look up, hair immediately flopping across their face, and break into a goofy grin. "Hello! Was I summoned?"

At the same moment that Darcy opens their mouth, presumably to say "go away", the original mystery person answers "Yes, of course. Todd, isn't it?"

The floppy-haired figure nods. More and more people flood into the room, each stumbling through a door in different locations, until there are 17 separate people in the room. The first mystery person rubs their hands together. "Well, I'm glad to see all of you together again. Doctors. I suppose you'll be wanting some introductions?"

The collected strangers nod, with varying levels of sarcasm in each nod. The oldest of the group opens their mouth. "I am Remy Penn, they/them pronouns." Their face contorts, as if surprised they said anything at all.

Another one of the strangers, with their black hair in a bowl cut and slightly too-large clothes, waves down at the rest of the people. "Allen McCrimmon. They/them pronouns."

Remington steps forward closer into the circle, and introduces themself again. Seth does the same. A younger blonde steps in as well. "Theo Jeans. They/them."

By some compulsion, Darcy steps forward. "Darcy Marlowe, they/them." They step back again, and give Mel and Alary a bewildered look.

Alary tips their snapback to the crowd, and their fists are clenched enough that their knuckles turn white. "Alary Parke. They/them." As they step back, their wrists twitch violently. They open their fists enough that they're now gripping their shirt hem.

Mel places one hand on each shoulder of her friends.

"Echo Smith, they/them."

A tall person with a buzzcut steps forward as well, maybe just a few years older than Basil. "Angus Ostler, they/them."

"Maize Keyies, they/them." Adds a lanky individual who reminds Mel distinctly of a hedgehog, or maybe a cockatoo.

"Todd Foster, they/them."

"Basil Wilkins, they/them."

The youngest in the room, a blonde who couldn't be older than Mel, opens their mouth. "Eryn Hannon, they/them."

The only unnamed figure in the room claps their hands. "Thank you for that orderly answer! I- well, let's call me Koshie. It's close enough to my original thought, but just far enough away that people might not call me out."

Koshie steps forward, into a beam of light that Mel is very sure wasn't there earlier. "Now, I don't mean to be anti-climatic at all, but I really did just want to get you in the same spot. If I got two of you, I figured I could summon the rest. I try to be more of a chaotic neutral than a neutral evil, but, you know how it is sometimes. You just see the opportunity to share some knowledge, and I do fancy myself to be a little bit of a philanthropist, so you just gotta share it. Right? Right. Anyways.

"You've all been deluded for your entire life. You're not even partly human. You are all alternates of one individual, the Doctor, who had multiple faces and bodies over several- oof, who knows how long. Years? Centuries? Millenia? I don't think even they know. This is an alternate universe in which they aren't just one person, but all of you. None of you had real lives, just fabrications for the sake of a story. You exist only because somewhere, somewhen, someone sits up, probably at night, and wrote you here." They laugh harshly "Get a life, right? Anyways, gotta bounce. Goodbye!"

And with a warp of something that is probably space-time itself, the room not-stretches towards where Koshie was, and then they aren't.

There's a feeling, settling in Mel's stomach, like the captain has abandoned their sinking ship to let the crew drown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oof.  
> (one chapter left!! im gonna cry)


	9. An Ending, of Sorts

She watches them as they leave the Starbucks.

 

Remy leaves first, and early. They stomp out in anger, fear tinting their eyes. They stop, a few steps away from the windows, and tap their cane against the sole of their shoe. They tap a finger to their chin, and then straighten. They continue to walk down the street, fists clenching and unclenching around their jacket, going until they're out of sight.

 

It didn't take long for things to implode at the mysterious warehouse. Shouting. Frustration. Everyone's scared, so everyone tries to be heard.

No one realizes they should get out first.

 

Basil leaves 20 minutes after Remy. They're obviously panicked. Pulling their sleeves over their hands, they swipe at their face. Oswin the polecat scrambles out of their coat pocket and onto their shoulder, rubbing her face against theirs in a reassuring manner. They seem to notice Mel is watching them, and they turn away quickly, almost running down the street.

Turning the corner, they're gone. Hopefully they get back to Camp alright.

 

Todd's the first one to point it out, neck craned to stare at the ceiling as it starts to creep closer. The doors are gone, except for one which is quickly eaten by the ceiling. Allen has to physically jump down to avoid the same fate.

 

Maize leaves after some hours of conversation. They spend most of the time slumped in their seat, feet propped up on the back of an empty chair. They don't seem to have said much.

They catch her eyes, and nod quietly. They turn towards the same way as Basil, and leave.

 

They're children, most of them. Remy is the oldest, and they can't be older than 35. At least half are younger than Darcy. They're panicked.

Remington Steele slams their hand against a wall. Something opens, and then they're Not.

 

When Allen leaves, it's directly into the arms of another mysterious figure. They mumble something into the stranger's shoulder, who rubs their back. The two leave, hand in hand, going directly to a car parked on the side of the street. Allen gets into the passenger's seat.

 

They appear in the middle of the forest from which they entered. Leela jolts up off from where she's been laying on the roof of the truck, already gripping her knife. Remington takes a step forward and falls flat on their face.

No one knows what to say in response to that.

 

She never really sees Seth leave. There's just a vague feeling of them, a sense of dread that permeates the area around them. One moment it's there, and the next it's gone.

She hears someone shout in frustration inside the shop.

 

Peri comes around in the truck, and blinks slowly. Darcy is all over her in an instant, holding her by the shoulders, checking for any other injuries, repeating her name under their breath. She grabs their shoulders back, and hugs them tightly. Their hand rests against the back of her head.

 

Angus, Todd, and Eryn leave at the same time. Almost. Angus is out first, leather jacket swooshing with each step. They've hopped into their car and turned the ignition when Eryn steps out, still holding their half-empty coffee cup in a hand. They start in the opposite direction from Angus, but are caught quickly by Todd, who offers to give them a ride back with their friends.

They walk to the east as Angus drives out to the west.

 

It's Ace who suggests they actually talk this through. She's leaning on Alary, who is quietly braiding her hair out of stress. "I just think it would be better if you try and talk it through, instead of storming off again."

She's staring at Remy firmly.

 

She's been doodling in this book for 3 and half hours now. Most is nonsense, spirals and flower petals and boxes in boxes in boxes. But every once in a while the face of her mom shows up, the half-smile Alary gives her as they walk to the shop, the cat pin Darcy rubs during the car ride. The sun settling on Theo's hair as they walk to a parking lot and get in a car. 

She assumes she's part of the story. The people who aren't quite people, just characters. It's been made clear she's not one of this Doctor's faces, but maybe that doesn't matter. It might be that the only thing that matters is that she's here to experience it. She's here, in a small Starbucks in Hot Springs, with two people that she's happy to call friends. 

Is that all that matters?

A chair squeaks next to her. Darcy takes a seat, Alary on her other side. Peri stands just behind Darcy, and they lean their head back until they rest on her. Ace hands Mel another coffee, and pulls up a seat next to Alary. "So." Ace starts, taking a slow sip of her own coffee.

Mel gives a heavy sigh. Darcy nods in agreement.

"Did you agree on anything?" Mel asks, closing her notebook.

"We leave each other alone, mostly." Alary says, tapping their umbrella handle against their chin. She notices their chin is red. "Remy has asked to never see any of us again, but they live in France now, so that might not be as much as a problem as they fear. The ones older than us mostly just said 'see you later', so." They shrug.

"And the ones still at camp?" Peri asks, raising an eyebrow. "What about them?"

"Echo and Todd don't seem to mind. Maize votes for us to all leave them alone. Angus didn't say much, but I think they're moving out of camp soon, so they're going to avoid us. Basil ran out, so we'll have to get back to them on that. Eryn said they're only spending summers at camp, so I think they're fairly unphased."

They sigh again. "This is a mess." Darcy says.

Mel gives a quiet sarcastic laugh. "No kidding."

It's silent again.

"We're still different people." Darcy starts. "Whoever this Doctor is, they aren't exactly us. No matter what Koshie said, we are still.... beings. Conscious. Aware. We aren't going to start calling ourselves the Doctor, we're still us."

"Darcy Marlowe and Alary Parke." She comments quietly.

Alary nods. It goes back to being quiet.

So maybe they are story characters. Darcy's right, they're conscious in their own way. Long after the story ends, they're still going to exist. They've existed before they were written, and they're still going to afterwards.

Alary stands up, and looks at the group. "Shall we go back?"

* * *

A story is just a snapshot, in many ways. It's a moment in time, a collection of instants, but not everything. You know (most) the characters have lived before the first page, and (most) continue to long after you've closed the book and put it away. It's not the be-all-end-all of those you read about.

Mel has lived 12 years before this moment. She will continue to live long after the story ends, after whoever reads it closes the window and moves onto whatever else they had to do today. This isn't the end of her. This isn't the end of Darcy, either, or Alary, or Peri, or Ace. It won't be the end for Remy, as they move back to Nice and continue going on as if nothing has changed. It isn't the end for Eryn, who goes back to camp to deal with the knowledge that they've been dumped with suddenly.

The sun is setting. It gives the world a golden glow, making Mel squint and turn in her seat.

Nothing's ending.

Not here.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hooooolyyyyyy shit. this is the end. last chapter. (well, minus the bonus thing, but that won't be in here ;) )
> 
> thank you so much for reading this. seriously. if you read this, please know that i am sending you a huge hug (or, if you don't like hugs, the biggest possible thumbs up.) i am so proud of doing this, and im so glad that you sat down and read it too.
> 
> wanna see more content like this from me? want a behind the scenes look into what i do when im trying to write? send me a dm on discord and ask to join my personal server! drwhoisnbculture#0408 :)
> 
> okay! the other thing will be posted within a few days, as part of a pjoau collection. thanks so much!!!! take care yall <3

**Author's Note:**

> CHARACTERS WHOSE NAMES HAVE BEEN CHANGED FROM CANON TO AU  
> Remy: first doctor  
> Allen: second doctor  
> Remington Steele: third doctor  
> Seth: fourth doctor  
> Theo: fifth doctor  
> Darcy: sixth doctor  
> Alary: seventh doctor  
> Echo: eighth doctor  
> Angus: ninth doctor  
> Maize: tenth doctor  
> Todd: eleventh doctor  
> Basil: twelfth doctor  
> Eryn: thirteenth doctor

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Machiavellian Does Not Mean Victorious](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16462106) by [Kitty Eden (TheBigCat)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBigCat/pseuds/Kitty%20Eden)




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